1375 N 12th 

1125 Garnet 

Erich Ralph Kantelberg was born 14 Sep 1891 in Salem, OR. He was one of six children born to Gustav and Augusta [Walters] Kantelberg. Father Gustav worked for the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem, OR. The family lived on D Street in the Englewood neighborhood. In 1910, the family moved to 1375 N 12th St. 

In 1913, tragedy struck the family when Erich’s two youngest brothers were accidentally shot while playing with a gun. Both boys received minor injuries, but ten-year-old Walter developed blood poisoning and died. His twin brother Ben recovered. Then in 1914, father Gustav died from cancer on 1 April 1914. He was 53 years old. 

At the time of his father’s death Erich was 22 years old and still lived with his parents. A 1915 city directory for the city of Salem listed his occupation as fireman which could refer to someone that worked for the fire department or someone whose job was to tend the fires in a boiler used in manufacturing.  It was unclear at the time of research which definition applied to Erich.  

In 1917, and with the advent of WWI, Erich and his brother William went to Portland to work in the shipyards. After this point we briefly lose track of Erich until 1924. At the time of research, no draft registration card was found for him. The trail resumes in the 1924 Portland city directory where he is listed as a salesman for J.W. Greene and later Gwartney & Hahn. At this point, he simplified the spelling of his first name to Eric. In 1928, Eric began selling real estate. 

In August 1930 Eric married Eva Ruth Lee in Washington state. They would become the parents of four children; Rudie James, Carl Richard, Pearl Mae, and Larry. Son Carl, born 12 May 1933 died at 6 months old from a hole in the heart between the upper right and left chambers. 

Eric Kantelberg died 21 Apr 1938 in Multnomah Hospital, Portland, OR of pneumonia. He was 46 years old. His obituary stated that he had worked as a real estate broker for 28 years in the Portland area. He was buried in the Greenwood Hills Cemetery in Portland. 

Following his death, widow Eva had three children ages 6 and under. The country was still in the midst of the Great Depression. Her youngest baby had been born with a double hernia and needed special medical care and surgery. She made the difficult decision to place him for adoption at six months old. He was raised by Leland and Helen Wood of Salem. Eva remarried two years later, and children Rudie and Pearl took their stepfather’s name. The children would later find each other and be reunited in 1978. 

1911  Kantelberg Erich, bds 1375 N 12th 

1915  Kantelberg Erich, fireman, rms 1375 N 12th 

1918  Kantelberg R E [Ralph Eric], ship worker, r 204 Columbia [Portland] 

1924  Kantelberg Eric, salesman JW Greene, r 96 10th [Portland] 

1925  Kantelberg Eric R, salesman Gwartney & Hahn, r 779 Marshall [Portland] 

1926  Kantelberg Eric R, salesman Gwartney & Hahn Inc, r 779 Marshall [Portland] 

1928  Kantelberg Eric R, real est[ate], 306 Henry bldg, r 96 10th [Portland] 

1929  Kantelberg Eric R, real est[ate], 623 Bd of Trade bldg, r 96 10th [Portland] 

1931  Kandlberg [sic] Eric (Eva), h 123 22d N apt 302 [Portland] 

1936  Kantleberg Erich (Eva) laborer, 1125 Garnet (mother’s home) 

1900  Erich Kantelberg. Age: 8. Birth Date: Sep 1891 in Oregon. Home in 1900: D Street in Englewood, Marion, OR. Single, son to HOH. Occupation: Student. Additional household members: Guothar [sic] Kantelberg, age 39 (father), Augusta Kantelberg, age 27 (mother), Conrad Kantelberg, age 9 (brother), Willie Kantelberg, age 6 (brother), Ruth Kantelberg, age 9 months (sister). 

1905 Marion County Census – Kantelberg, Enrich. Age 13. At School. Born in Oregon. 

1910  unable to locate   

1920  unable to locate 

1930  Eric R. Kantelberg. Age: 38. Birth Year: abt 1892 in Oregon. Home in 1930: 645 Flanders St. Portland, Multnomah, OR. Married, HOH. Occupation: Realty in Real Estate. Additional household members: Eva R. Kantelberg, age 22 (wife), Alice A. Lee, age 20 (sister-in-law) 

Oregon Statesman 11 Aug 1935, p. 5 – case dismissed 

Albany Democrat-Herald 16 Nov 1933, p. 2 – death of son Carl Richard 

Oregon Statesman 30 Apr 1936, p. 5 – automobile crash [Eva and Rudie Kantelberg]  

Capital Journal 9 July 1936, p. 12 – birth of daughter Pearl 

Oregon Statesman 31 Dec 1936, p. 1 – baby burned [Pearl] and father injured after Christmas tree fire 

Oregonian 23 Apr 1938, p. 13 – death notice, Eric 

Oregonian 23 Apr 1938, p. 10 – obituary, Eric 

Capital Journal 27 May 1976, p. 20 – Obituary, Eva 

Oregon Statesman 12 Nov 1978, p. 59 – Kantelberg siblings reunited